Star Wars Rebels - Fallen Hero
by Killerkitty641
Summary: A short story of several chapters that will act as a prelude to my main story, Breakdown. The Ghost crew go to an imperial data-vault to secure information about Darth Vader during riots in the cities. However, Vader is there and stops their escape, so instead of going up, they go down underground. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1 - Riots, Swimming, Tector ISDs

SWR E1 – Fallen Heroes

Ezra walks into the 'living room' and sits on the sofa. Kanan, Sabine and Hera are already there, examining a holomap of a planet.

"Where's this?" Ezra inquires as he sits

"Garacor. Important imperial production facility. The only parts of the planet that aren't city are the oceans and the odd desert Island. We've got the one big one covering most of the western hemisphere and the cities cover most of the rest, although they are interspersed with some more oceans." Kanan replies as Zeb walks in. He indicates a point on the hologram and the map zooms to show an Imperial structure by the sea as he continues, "this is the main Imperial data vault, and Fulcrum's given us intel on information on Darth Vader being stored there. We need to go in, secure the data and then leave ASAP. Got it?"

The others all nod and he continues, "We will all insert from the beach and sneak up to the building. Sabine and Zeb will enter the sewers to reach the power generator on sub-level 2. Ezra, Chopper, and I will enter through the service landing pad door and Ezra will go through the vents to enter the main data-control room. As soon as the power goes off, we'll breach the control room and chopper will take the hard-drive with the data on. We go out while the base lacks power and then meet up at the ghost, which Hera is going to park underwater."

"Status of the local population?" inquires Sabine

"They are currently rioting against the Empire so most Imperial soldiers are out trying to quell the riots, leaving the buildings less defended than normal and the garrisons depleted. As in REALLY depleted."

"Can the ghost even go underwater?"

"Of course it can," replied Hera, surprised.

"So when we get down, we'll put on dive gear and then swim to the surface." Comments Ezra

"Exactly. Let's get moving

* * *

The crew get up and head back to their rooms as the ghost drops into the atmosphere. It descends rapidly, then slows just before it hits the water. The only sign of the ghost's descent into the water is a series of ripples and a small trail of bubbles. The ghost touches down on the bottom, sending silt floating out from where it was displaced. It sinks like a stone and impacts the bottom with a dull thud, silt billowing out from the seabed where the landing gears hit the surface. Hera storms down the ladder and berates Chopper.

"You told me you would take it in slowly. If the landing struts have been damaged at all, you will be off operations for a month AFTER you repaired them." she yelled.

Sabine and Zeb were doing their final checks, while Kanan and Ezra were putting on their masks and weight belts. Chopper was in a special droid dive bag, protecting him from the elements that would destroy his circuits.

"Let's get moving" orders Kanan as they finish putting on the dive gear.

The hatch is open and the water laps up the ramp almost to the flat centre section. They walk down what little of the cargo ramp is unsubmerged and enter the water. It is surprisingly warm.

"Why is it so warm?" inquires Sabine

"Probably oil being transferred from underground mines. They keep it warm so it doesn't freeze in the pipes" replies Ezra. "Of course, now that there are so many of them, they don't actually need to heat all of them up, but, knowing the Empire, they probably didn't even check."

They swam silently in the deep blue ocean. Here and there, an eel or small fish would flit in and out of the beams of light coming from their helmets. Fluorescent-cyan kelp drifted in the current, fluttering occasionally as something brushed it. Eventually the water shallowed as they neared the shore.

"Eyes forward guys. Approaching the beach," said Kanan.

The 4 rebels and chopper landed on the beach and slowly waded their way up to the sandbar. A pair of tie fighters skimmed over the water's surface far to their direct left, spray flying up behind them.

"Looks fun" commented Sabine, "Hey, next time we go somewhere peaceful for a break, why don't we hook up a surfboard to the phantom and get it to drag us behind it?"

"We don't do that because at that speed you'd probably break all your bones when you fell off" replied Zeb.

"spoilsport" she grumbled, smiling under her helmet

They made their way up the beach to the outer landing pads, leaving the dive gear hidden behind the sandbar. 2 guards patrol the first one, a heavy turret guards the second. Zeb sneaks up and rips the guard on the turret off and whacks him over the head, while Sabine and Ezra tackle the other 2 simultaneously. No alarms went off as they edged their way up to the side of the building. A lone guard stood by the door.

"Wow, they must really be stretched thin by these riots," exclaimed Zeb as he entered the underground tunnels. "A single guard."

Sabine climbed in after Zeb and closed the hatch while Ezra sneaks up on the guard. He whistles and then punches the guard, knocking him out cold instantly.

"Piece of cake" he quips.

Kanan, chopper and Ezra enter and walk until they find an air vent, at which point Kanen boosts Ezra up into it.

"Try not to get lost," Kanan says.

"Fat chance of that. I'm not the one who has to find their way around without being able to read signs," Ezra shoots back

They split up and Ezra climbs through the maze of vents as the other 2 groups get into their respective positions.

"Is everyone in position?" asks Kanan.

"Spectre 4 in position"

"Spectre 5 ready"

"Spectre 6 ready"

"Execute assault"

There is a faint shudder and the lights go off as the generator is destroyed. Kanan charges into the control room, lightsabre drawn, while Ezra drops into the room from the vent, shooting with his blaster. Within seconds, the room is clear, 2 guards and 2 technicians down.

Ezra blasts through the protective glass and chopper flies out. He grabs the data card from its slot and flies back in. Total time since destruction of generator: 27 seconds

"Good time people. Let's make our way back to the beach."

The crew run from their various positions and meet outside.

"Got the data?" inquired Sabine.

"Course. Was there any doubt?" replied Kanan as they made their way back down.

"Uhh, yeah." Commented Zeb

They made their way back down to the sandbar, only to find their dive gear missing. The only things left were their dive boots, which they'd kept on during the assault because they had good grip and it saved time that would be otherwise spent removing them.

"What the hell?" started Zeb as they turn to look at the building.

"Stay Alert!" snapped Kanan just before blaster fire erupted around them. "CONTACT REAR"

The rebels dived to the landward side of the sandbar as a squad of dive-troopers emerged from the water, firing as they went.

Sabine popped her head up. "I bet you guys are as bad at shooting as… ah!" She exclaimed as a round glanced off her helmet.

She ducked back down, "I take it back. You guys can shoot"

Zeb leaned over and fired a single blast, catching a trooper in the head. Three of the other 5 immediately fire on Zeb, singeing his fur.

"Karabast, that was close. Hera, we might need some air support." He curses.

"Negative Spectre 4. I'm still underwater. It'll take a few minutes to get the ghost warmed up and then I'd have to leave immediately to prevent water getting in." Hera replied.

Kanan jumps out and lands in between 2 troopers and cuts one down. Focused fire from Sabine and Zeb take down another 2. Ezra rushes the one on the far left and stabs him. The final one fires a 3-round burst from his DLT-19, scorching the air beside Ezra as the lasers narrowly avoid hitting him. Zeb finishes off the last one with a shot to the abdomen.

"Well, that wasn't too hard" Ezra said jokingly. "What happened to needing air support?"

Chopper beeps and Ezra rounds on him.

"Shut up Chopper. You did nothing to help"

"Shhh…" orders Kanan. "What's that"

* * *

They hear a faint humming sound. Imperial dropships.

"I have a visual!" Exclaims Sabine, "They're moving in fast!"

3 AT-ST Walker dropships fly in from the sea. They flew low, practically touching the water, sending up spray and a fine mist trailing in their. The rebels flee back into the building and enter an elevator as the dropships unload a deadly cargo of 3 AT-STs and 15 Stormtroopers. They shoot upwards.

"So, do you want to tell us what your plan is Kanan? Sabine inquires.

"I saw something when we were in the command centre. A message from the Tector-class Star Destroyer _Resolute_ , confirming transition of most of their garrison of Stormtroopers and other personnel to help deal with the riots. The ship is running a skeleton crew."

"And…"

"I was thinking it would be rude to refuse a free Star Destroyer. And a Tector-class at that."

"What's so special about a Tector-class Star Destroyer?" asks Ezra

"They're more heavily armoured, and can take and dish out a severe beating, more so than most other Imperial Star Destroyers. It's got a protected power plant too, but lacks a ventral hanger. It's the kind of ship we need when challenging the Empire directly."

"Nice."

They reach the top of the building, where there is an unguarded shuttle, which they board and launch. There wasn't a pilot or crew member on the ship, nor were there any weapons in the racks. The shuttle shoots up to the _Resolute_ , ignored by the Ties that occasionally flew past. The city lights sparkled below them, with black swarms in the streets. Here and there, an AT-AT stomped its way between buildings, rain shining off its back. They watch as a fire breaks out across the back of one of them, from a Molotov thrown from a building. They wait for a request for codes as they approach the _Resolute_ , but nothing comes.

"They must be really badly stretched if they don't request codes," Sabine points out.

The shuttle lands in an empty hanger. The corridors are deserted, armouries cleared. The only sounds are their footsteps and the odd groan of metal. Bunks lie empty, canteen clear. The ship appears devoid of life. A pair of troopers guarding the bridge are the first Imperials the rebels encounter and are quickly stunned. They stack up on the door.

Kanan taps his head twice and Sabine nods. She gets behind Ezra on one side, Zeb behind Kanen on the other. They all make the OK sign and Kanan hits the door button.

They storm in, blasters firing. To the left, Zeb guns down 2 Stormtroopers, Sabine another 2 and a deck officer to the right. Ezra and Kanan each get a deck officer in the pits, another by the window. A Stormtrooper in the command pit fires a couple of rounds, which are deflected back by Kanan. The rest of the crew are no where to be found.

"Spectres, sound off!" orders Kanan.

"Spectre 4, clear left."

"Spectre 5, clear right."

"Spectre 6, clear centre."

Chopper burbles that there were no hostiles behind them.

"Spectre One, all clear. Spectre 5, main control. Spectre 4, secure the door, then go take control of the main batteries. Spectre 6, get the communications and ship statistics. I've got the other weapons."

The crew head to their selected spots.

"Spectre 5, move around to point 67 when ready and prepare to accelerate to break atmosphere"

"Copy"

"Flank secure," says Zeb as the bridge doors slam shut and lock.

The star destroyer slowly turned over the city, engines flaring slightly as they burned energy. Below, thousands of people crowding around a stranded Imperial transport cheered as the star destroyer turned to go.

"Star Destroyer _Resolute_ , return to position Immediately!" an officer ordered over the comm.

"Spectre 6, which Star Destroyer sent that?"

"ISD-II the _Retribution_ , to out left side" Ezra replied. "Its standing by over the harbour."

"Spectre 4, give them our reply"

"Copy that commander," Zeb replied with a grin as he turned the port batteries to face the Retribution and unleashed a full 16-round volley into the side of the Retribution. Its shields weren't up and the rounds tore straight through to the reactor core with pin-point accuracy. A chain reaction started as all high-energy systems imploded, creating a wall of fire as all of the main turbo lasers blew up, accompanied by the ship's bridge and one of the engines.

Fire burst from its hanger and the ship split in 2, dividing at the reactor core. Chunks of it splashed down into the sea with fiery elegance as the fires were extinguished. The resulting cloud of smoke hid them until they vanished under the sea. A still-glowing engine fell and caused an eruption of steam as it heated the water around it.

Sabine watched as the stern crashed into the sea. and whistled, "Beautiful."

"OK Sabine, punch it!" exclaimed Kanan.

"Kanan. Do you feel that?" asked Ezra.

Kanan looked at Ezra and felt his fear, then felt it himself. The disturbance in the force.

The cold…

* * *

Notes:

I misspelt Kanan as Kanen. Should be corrected now.

Is what Ezra says in reply to Kanan too harsh? I think it might be too harsh.

Also, when I say "pits" or "command pits" I mean the 2 lower sections on a star destroyer bridge on either side of the main walkway. Here I a good example:

. /2013/02/super_destroyer_


	2. Chapter 2 -Crashing, Storm, Vader's Fist

Star Wars Rebels – Fallen Hero part 2

The ship jerked suddenly as it came to a full stop.

"What the hell was that?" yelled Zeb from the weapons console.

"I don't know" Sabine yelled back.

"Spectre One, diverting all power from weapons and shields to sub-light drives. Sabine, push the ship as hard as you can. We need to break free of whatever is stopping us from leaving," ordered Kanan.

The ships engines whined as they pushed with extra energy. It didn't move an inch.

"Starboard Engine overheating" reported Ezra

"Aft and Centre engines overheating!" Sabine said at the same time. "Meltdown in 10 seconds"

"Keep pushing!"

"Kanan, I'm tracking an Immobilizer-418 cruiser moving in to block us. In a few minutes, our hyperspace route out will be sealed shut. I've also got 2 Star Destroyers moving into range directly ahead." Yelled Ezra.

There was a shudder as the Starboard engine exploded and the reactor collapsed. All of the lights and consoles shut down and a backfire in the electrics on the planetary scan console caused it to burst into flames. The Spectres could only stand and wait.

"I've got nothing on the engines," reported Sabine. "Safety Protocols have shut down the main reactor. We've got minimum power from the secondary, but not enough to move with, or to power gravity generators."

"Can you bypass the safety protocols?" Inquired Kanan.

"Do you want to be burnt to a crisp when it next overheats?"

"Good point. Ezra…"

Whatever he was going to say was lost as the ship suddenly lurched to the side, throwing everyone off their feet, bar chopper, who'd locked himself down. Kanan slid down and landed in the left 'pit' next to Sabine. Ezra and Zeb, on the far left, both impacted the glass window as the ship turned 90 degrees to the side and turned around to face the shore. The ship stopped turning with the same suddenness as it had stopped moving earlier. There was an eerie silence, punctuated by the occasional huff from a crew member as they reoriented themselves.

Zeb pointed at something, "Look"

A single AT-AT stands at attention by the water's edge, a thick crowd of people watching from the roadside, packed so tightly they hid any sign of the tarmac. A few AT-STs stomp around on the beach, monitoring the crowd.

"Zoom in on that AT-AT" Kanan commands

Sabine complies and projects it onto their holopad. On top of the AT-AT stood a single, dark figure, arm outstretched towards them.

"That's something new…" trails Zeb.

The figure rotates his hand and the Star Destroyer moves in turn, sending the rebels tumbling back onto the floor. They pick themselves up and hear Vader's voice boom through the speakers.

"Before you here today, during your riots and insurgencies, a group of rebels tried to steal a Star Destroyer. Know this now, the rebellion was doomed before it even started. They cannot match the power of the empire."

"Oh Karabast" swears Zeb.

He lowers his hand and the Star Destroyer plunges downwards.

Vader turns to face the crowd amassed behind the walker, "anyone who wishes to share their fate may do so. Those who wish to live, who wish to let their families live, who wish to see what benefits the Empire will bring, will return to their homes quietly and wait for the last of the resistance to be crushed."

His sentence was punctuated by the Star Destroyer impacting the surface of the ocean and throwing up a wall of water. The Ghost crew were all flung off their feet and scattered around the bridge like leaves in the wind. The glass shattered and shards flew into the bridge, burying themselves in any surface they hit.

Back on shore, the crowd had begun to disperse, terrified of what Vader had done. All over the planet, people were leaving the protests and heading back to their homes, having seen the demonstration on some of the thousands of message boards. Imperial forces were suddenly free to move unhindered and they quickly reclaimed the few structures that the local rebel cells had captured. The water displaced by the Star Destroyer surged up and around the legs of the walkers, barely affecting them, and impacting on the sea wall, fine spray lashing the Stormtroopers that patrolled above. A TIE-fighter pair flew above the wall of water that was running out to sea, then broke off to re-join their patrol. Within minutes, the situation was back under control.

* * *

The ship had landed and wedged between 2 cliffs dropping off into the deep sea. The metal refused to yield to the pressure of the rock, meaning the ship was only slightly tilted. It was precariously balanced – although the top section was above water, everything below the top of the main engines was submerged and if enough pressure was applied to one side, it could slip and tumble into the deep sea.

On the bridge, the only one conscious was Chopper. He had sat there, immune to most of the glass shards, legs locked down during impact. As soon as the ship stopped moving, he unlocked his legs and rolled over to the nearest person. Sabine was unconscious but her armour had protected her from the glass shards. Zeb and Ezra had been flung into the nearest 'pit' and had avoided the majority of the glass. He zapped Ezra awake and went to see Kanan. Kanan had fared the worst, but Chopper was able to remove most of the shards that had lodged in the exposed skin. He zapped Kanan and turned to see the others were all up, albeit in varying states of alertness. As she'd fared the best, Sabine was already checking to make sure there were no Stormtroopers waiting outside. Ezra and Zeb were both badly bruised and had several cuts from the glass, but were OK. Kanan was the least focused of them all. He'd whacked his head as they crashed and his face was covered in small cuts.

Chopper beeped as Kanan groaned and rolled onto his chest.

Kanan grunted as he stood, "are we all OK guys?"

"I'm ready to go," replied Sabine from the corridor outside the control room.

"We're OK," said Ezra as he gathered his equipment from the floor.

"Barely," grumbled Zeb, massaging his left shoulder. "I'm not sure you're OK though Kanan."

"Yeah, your face is badly cut up," Ezra continued.

"I'm fine. Just caught a bit of glass, that's all."

Kanan's movements seemed off, a little sluggish.

"You're not fine, not if your moving like that," Sabine interjected as she walked back in. "Probably have a concussion to complement your cuts."

Kanan walks towards the door, trying to feign indifference. "I'm fine really. We need to get moving. Find a way off the ship."

"While I would normally agree with you, we can't get out if you can't function properly. Ezra, get me a stimulant from the medical station"

Ezra complies, grabbing a yellowish vial and needle from the medical station, which had fortunately remained locked during landing. He tosses them to Sabine, who injects it into Kanan's neck.

"There. Give it a couple of minutes and you'll be fine."

"Hate to be the one to deliver bad news, but those 2 star destroyers are coming here," shouted Zeb from what used to be the commander's view-station at the very front of the bridge.

That meant they were either going to bombard the ship from above or deploy troops to root them out. Neither was an enticing option.

"Let's get down to the port hanger, find our transport and leave," said Sabine.

It was impossible for it to have survived the crash, but they had no other real options.

"Escape pods?" Ezra inquired as they ran into the elevators, which still had power after the secondary generator miraculously survived the crash.

"The thrusters don't work underwater. We'd either run out of air or we'd be picked up by the Empire before that. Either, way, the pods are a no-go."

There was nothing else they could use. If all the armouries were as empty as the one they passed, then there would be no dive gear for them to use. There were no more assault shuttles or any method of transportation, as it had all been sent to the planet's surface. There was just hope that the shuttle had survived.

They reached the hanger and found it knee-deep in water. The protective field that normally covered the entrance was gone, letting the water rush in. Parts of their shuttle were scattered around the hanger, with the odd wire or pipe hanging from the rafters above.

"Well," said Zeb, "looks like we found our ship."

Outside, the weather was worsening. Storm clouds rolled over the sky, torrential rain following them. And in the distance, amidst the rain and cloud, a third Star Destroyer approached.

"We should head deeper inside and wait for the Empire's next move. This ship is supposed to be tough, right? If they bombard us, we should be safe. If they send troops, we'll have a good defensive position to hold from," said Ezra.

"Normally, I wouldn't agree, but given the circumstances, I think you're right," replied Kanan.

The rebels ran down through the ship, until they reached one the lower levels. The water was waist-deep, but retained the lovely warmth it had near the surface. Zeb was carrying Chopper, both grumbling about not being waterproof. Then the Empire began their bombardment.

2 Star Destroyers fired as many guns as they could at the crashed ship's hull. The rebels listened in from bellow, sure that they would be obliterated any second. Although the Empire pierced the hull and savaged much of the inside directly below them, the ship was still structurally strong and still refused to yield to either the bombardment from above or the pressure from the rocks that threatened to snap it in half should it weaken. The bridge had been snapped off, the base of the neck melted and that was when the Star Destroyers stopped firing. A series of assault transports adorned with blue stripes flew in low over the ocean.

Vader's Fist had arrived.

* * *

Stationed on Vader's personal Star Destroyer, The Devastator, the 501st Legion was the cream of the crop, the very best Stormtroopers in the Empire. They had their routine nailed down, with silent, efficient communication by hand signals when possible. As soon as the assault ships touched down, they streamed out, forming a blue and white defensive semi-circle around the dropship as the remaining Stormtroopers unloaded. The instant the last one was off the ramp, the transport would take off and fly back to the Devastator to pick up more soldiers, or wait out of range in case the soldiers needed pick-up. Total deployment time was typically between 25 – 30 seconds.

"This isn't good," commented Sabine as she watched them move, using the ship's security cameras to monitor the Stormtroopers.

Ezra wades over, "What's up?"

"It's the 501st Legion. Vader's Fist. They're the best Imperial ground force, since, well, ever. Even in the clone wars they were the best. All the best soldiers are moved there and serve under Vader himself."

"When they're around, things tend to get messy," commented Zeb. "Especially for those they fight."

"They were led by Anakin Skywalker during the clone wars. Now we know who that is, so it'd make sense they'd be kept close to him," said Kanan.

"We can't stay down here. A single well-placed grenade could wipe us out, or incapacitate us long enough for them to capture us," continued Sabine.

"Do we have to run ALL the way back?" complained Zeb

"Do you want to live?"

They rush back to where the bridge once was, narrowly avoiding imperials as they went. However, in a stroke of luck, they manage to avoid combat and exit onto the surface of the Star Destroyer. Wind and rain lash them as they exit, the entire world a dull grey. Several squads of Stormtroopers were deployed on the surface, patrolling the main airlocks. Small craters pockmark the surface of the ship and larger ones leave impassable tracts of twisted metal and charred plastic.

"Contact at the stern!" one of the Stormtroopers yells and they all turn to look at the rebels now diving into the smaller craters.

Sabine, in the nearest crater, stands up and delivers a withering barrage of blaster fire… which only hits 2 Stormtroopers. The others return fire as they advance into cover and score 3 hits on her armour.

"Keep this up and you'll have nice black armour once we're done," jokes Zeb as he returns fire. Another trooper goes down, but Zeb is pinned by a volley from a machine gun somewhere.

Kanan attempts to stand and deflect a few shots, but a Sniper chips his shoulder guard and he ducks back down.

"Spectres, sit rep!" he orders

He receives a chorus of Oks from 3 different craters and a beep from Chopper behind him.

"Ezra, you haven't been spotted yet and you're furthest out. Can you tell us what they've got packin'?"

Ezra crawls out slightly and squints at the figures firing from the various craters before them. He shifted uncomfortably; water was pooling in the crater and was up to his ankles. The weather was worsening and it was getting harder to see.

"I count 3 troopers with DLT-19s, a grenadier with a GL-11 launcher, an AT soldier with a PLX-1 portable missile launcher and a sniper with a weapon of unknown design. The squad leaders have carbine versions of the E-11. I also think I see an Imperial Heavy Repeater," he reports.

"At least they don't have disruptors!" Sabine shouts over the wind.

"I think I also see an I-7 Disruptor too"

"Spoke too soon," she muttered as she tossed a grenade out from her cover. It exploded harmlessly on the deck.

Suddenly, the imperials stop suppressing them. There was a sudden silence. Even the wind seemed to have stopped in anticipation.

"Why have they stopped firing?" asks Zeb nervously.

"Look, a shuttle!" exclaimed Ezra.

The Lambda-class shuttle hovered, rain splattering off its wings and opened its ramp. When it was fully extended, it barely scraped the Star Destroyer's hull.

Ezra and Kanan felt it at the same time. Sabine sighed at seeing their expressions.

"Let me guess. You feel cold?"

They nod in confirmation and she throws her hands in the air in frustration.

"Why can't he just leave us to steal his stuff in peace!?"

Vader stepped off the ramp and drew his lightsabre.

* * *

Cliffhanger! What fun.

(I actually hate cliff hangers but I figured this would be a good place to finish instead of during a more mundane bit.)

Feel free to give me feedback! I am always looking for more things to include in my writing.

Expect the next one this evening or tomorrow (GMT)


	3. Chapter 3 - Escape, Drowning, Secrets

SWR – Fallen Hero part 3

Quick note - I apologise for he fact that I uploaded this so late. I was up watching Robot Chicken: Star Wars and the new Rebels episodes, following a day of setting up Ikea beds and stuff like that in my new house, sooo yeah. I will get another chapter out this evening (as it is now Sunday Morning here in England) and will try to upload it promptly at around 10pm.

* * *

The rebels and the imperials stared at each other for several long, tense seconds. The exposed material of their uniforms were drenched with sweat and rain, adding an uncomfortable clinginess which was an annoyance in a mission which required rapid movement.

Vader stepped forward, and the others snapped out of their trance-like state to continue killing each other. The shuttle lifted off slightly, ramp still open.

"Spectre 5, give me a grenade. I want you to distract Vader so I can throw it down by his feet," ordered Kanan.

Sabine complied and shuffled anxiously in her cover. Kanan counted down with his fingers and Sabine lept up at 0, unleashing a withering barrage on Vader and any Stormtroopers unfortunate enough to be near him. He deflected the blasts with ease, sending 3 back at her and scoring 2 hits.

She ducked back down and saw Kanan crouching in his crater again, lacking the explosives.

"Did you throw them?" she inquired.

"Yeah. He just used the force to send them off to the side."

A second DLT-19 opened up, this time aimed at Kanan. The grenade launcher began firing and soon the deck was rumbling with explosions every few seconds.

"Spectre 4, do you have a bead on the machine gunners?"

Zeb popped up and fired twice, missing with both rounds. A loud crack signified a return shot from the sniper, which skimmed Zeb's arm and left a burn mark, so close was it to his skin. Zeb hid back in the crater he was sheltering in.

"I saw one of them, but couldn't get a clear shot," he said, annoyed. "Damn that shot ruined my fur!"

There wasn't much they could do. 2 of them were pinned by accurate blaster fire and the other 2 couldn't do much, so great was the risk to themselves. 3 of them lacked proper armour, and the 4th couldn't go out without attracting the attention from all the other troopers.

Kanan cursed as he struggled to think of a way out. Sabine stuck her head and right arm out and fired once, hitting a Stormtrooper in the chest, but received another hit. This time it was on her semi-exposed hand, forcing her to drop her gun.

"What is it with you and getting shot today?" Zeb half joked as they sheltered in their craters, the.

"I dunno. Hopefully it doesn't become a habit!" she replied, massaging her scalded hand. _Should be OK she thought. The underlay should've protected me from the burns._

"I should hope not! You're the one they seem to focus on, having the best armour and everything. At the rate you're getting hit, there wouldn't be anything left for even Chopper to use as scrap."

Chopper. That was it. In the chaos of the situation, Kanan had forgotten about Chopper, who was now standing behind him in the crater, decidedly fed up with both the torrential rain and the shooting.

"Chopper, could you electrify the deck?" he asks.

Chopper bleeps in surprise. Why would someone want to do that?

The water was running off the star destroyer in sheets, pouring down its surface at an alarming rate. It would affect them as much as it would affect the imperials.

"Chopper, we need you to electrify the water so that the Imperial soldiers will be stunned."

Chopper bleeped again and this time waved his arms around.

"We'll be fine. We've still got our rubber dive-boots, so those should protect us."

Chopper beeped uncertainly, but extended his zapper.

"Guys! They're bringing up the disruptor!" yelled a panicked Ezra from the far side.

"Listen up Spectres! Make sure your boots are the ONLY things touching the ground." Kanan shouted of the now gale-force winds.

"What's Chopper doing?" Zeb yelled back as the zapper touched the water.

The effect was instantaneous. All of the Stormtroopers collapsed with cries of pain. Vader froze too.

"Spectre, forward!"

* * *

The 4 spectres charged from their cover, blasters firing. Vader continued his advance. Ezra charged in from the left, leaving Kanan free to force-throw Sabine at Vader. The dual attack took him by surprise, and Sabine crashed into Vader, sending him falling backwards. They rushed past him and jump onto the shuttle. Zeb quickly overpowers the crew and gets the shuttle ready for launch. All seems well, until it refuses to move

"You've got to be kidding me," Sabine groaned.

"Not this kriff again," cursed Zeb at the same time.

Vader stood still, holding his hand out, keeping the shuttle in position. The wind tore at his cape and rain lashed his armour, but he ignored it and remained stock still.

"A valiant effort, but futile," said Vader. The ship's wings began to bend as he slowly crushes it. "Chose now whether you surrender and live, or die, trapped like rats on a sinking ship."

"We can't go if he's holding us here," growled Kanan in annoyance.

Sabine and Zeb fired at Darth Vader, but he effortlessly deflects every single round back at them. Ezra hits the ramp control and then slices it, preventing it from being used.

"Ezra, what the hell are you doing?"

"You guys have to get out of here," he replied as he jumps out. The door seals shut behind him with a thud.

He landed next to Vader with a splash, lightsaber drawn. But instead of attacking with his lightsaber, he charged into Vader, slightly affecting his concentration. The shuttle shoots off into the distance.

"Brave, but foolish," Vader said, emotionless as he grabbed Ezra and tossed him aside. "You have only granted your friends another few hours at most. My Stormtroopers are already on their way to your hidden ship."

"You're wrong. They'll escape. We've already done so before. Many times." Ezra snarled back.

"If only you knew the power of the dark side."

Ezra charged forward, but Vader simply flicks his wrist and sends Ezra flying again.

"Surrender now and I might let your friends live."

"Not a chance!"

"Then you will share their fate."

Vader pushed Ezra back right to the edge of the Star Destroyer and he is quickly surrounded Stormtroopers. A pair of them fire and hit him in the leg.

"I can sense your fear."

"I'm not afraid," Ezra hisses through clenched teeth.

"I can sense it clearly. You cannot hide your feelings from me, boy. Especially not your fear."

Ezra looked around. Stormtroopers surround him, weapons raised. He looks back at Vader.

"Try not to drown in it."

* * *

And with that, Vader pushes Ezra off the ship and into the warm, murky depths. Grey light filters into the water and Ezra sinks slowly. A few fish swim above, curious about the disturbance, but they quickly lose interest. He struggled to swim up, but every time he moved his left leg fire shot up his body. Weighed down by clothes and other gear, he cannot make any headway. He impacts the sea bottom with a thud.

To his left, there is a cave with a light being emitted from it. He crawled rapidly, darkness beginning to impede his vision. His sight narrowed, the cave became the only thing he could see. He lost feeling in his arms and legs as he struggled up into the cave.

He burst into the cave and breathed in fresh air. He stood and breathed in what he thought was the sweetest air he'd ever tasted. He then gets up and begins walking, his path illuminated by unusual glowing rocks randomly scattered around. In some places he would have to cover his eyes to protect them, in others he'd have to squint and fumble around until he found more light. Here and there he'd pass a carved wall with old text inscribed on it, albeit so badly eroded they were unreadable.

"Hmm… Interesting." Ezra mused to himself.

He approached a stone archway, but this time it was in immaculate condition. Ezra spelt out the letters with care; his knowledge on old scripture was still undeveloped.

He began reading them out load "F… O… C… R… E… - N… E…X"

He gasped. "That's not possible. There would've been records, guards, legends… It couldn't just have been sitting here all this time."

The sign read Force Nexus.

* * *

Another Cliffhanger! Such fun! (not)

I have something special planned for next chapter... Hope you enjoy!

Feel free to tell me what you think. What am I doing wrong and what should I improve on?


	4. Chapter 4 - Force Nexus, Madmen, Beaches

SWR – A Fallen Hero P3

* * *

Ezra hesitated at the gate. Force Nexuses were supposed to extremely powerful and had a tendency to kill its users. He knew of Arrakeen, an ancient settlement in the Dune Sea on Tatooine. It was located within the Temple of Desire and had the ability to alter an individual's perceptions, manifesting their desires and greatest fears without warning. Others saturated objects with the force of that side, making their presence intolerable to those on the other side of the force.

Ezra looked back down the cave where he'd come from. The were no turnoffs or other passages he could take. It was either go through the gate or wait for a rescue that might never arrive.

 _Or Capture, with summary execution,_ He though glumly. _Force Nexus it is._

He stepped through the archway and walked down the path. This time, it was well lit, the same strange glowing rocks mounted on pedestals, regularly located every 20 meters or so. Then it hit him. He could feel the sheer power of the site, an angry wave that bombarded his mind and left him gasping.

So, not a Light-side nexus then.

He continued down the passage, shutting his mind out to the force, keeping it from getting into his head.

But it whispered to him.

It whispered dark thoughts, prodding him with questions and seeking entrance into his mind.

I will not let it in, he vowed.

He could feel the power as he got closer and closer to the nexus. Images began appearing in his head. People he knew and people he didn't fought for his attention. Images of Star Destroyers over Lothal, the Sith Temple on Malachor, the ghost alone in deep space. He ignored them as best as he could, struggling on through the winding passages. Here and there, aa lizard scuttled past, but what they lived off he couldn't say.

He turned a corner and collapsed with a cry of pain. He was there, at the central chamber where the Nexus was located, it's power in direct contact with him. His mental barriers didn't break so much as they shattered. His mind was flooded with images of what he could do if he just opened his force connection to the Nexus. He could crush Star Destroyers, kill beings with a gesture, change people's perceptions with a thought and a wave of his hand. He pushed against the nexus and it shoved an image of the other members of the Ghost kneeling before him came to mind. He could be the master, teach Kanan how to use the force, dismantle and rebuild Chopper if he annoyed him, have Sabine whenever he wanted…

He didn't want that. He wanted to remain an equal, not a master forcing his friends into servitude, so he pushed back and this time the Nexus didn't respond. His barriers reformed and only a faint whispering remained.

The nexus hovered in the middle of the chamber, glowing an ominous red-blue. It was… weird. Nexuses weren't supposed to have physical forms. This one was like a mix of octagons and triangles binding together in a rough ball shape, spinning slowly around the ball of energy that was furiously rotating, at times tearing parts off itself that would come crashing back into the main ball.

"Ezra!" Hera called down from above.

He looked up to see Hera and Zeb sliding down rappel ropes from above. Kanan and Sabine wait in the cave system above. Another gate was up there, with signs of a collapsed bridge.

"Don't come down!" He yelled, too late to stop them coming into the range of the Nexus' power now they'd left the gate.

Hera and Zeb both reacted at the same time with cries of pain and let go of their ropes. Ezra let down his block and reached out with the force to stop them falling. The Nexus latched on to him. The sudden boost in power caused the 2 falling spectres to stop instantly, writhing in pain inches above the ground. Kanan made a move towards the gate.

"Don't come any closer!" Ezra shouted. He also stretched out his hand and sent Kanan flying back into the cave.

"Ezra, what is it?" Sabine called down to him, a hint of fear in her voice.

"A force nexus! You can't come down!"

He runs over to where Hera and Zeb lay, still moaning and growling as they fought off whatever invisible demons there were that plagued them.

He shook Hera, "Hera. Hera, it's me, Ezra. Look at me."

She was unfocused and confused. Another burst of pain shot through her and her hand shot out, hitting Ezra on the jaw.

"Okay then, I'll see to Zeb," he said, massaging his jaw. Zeb wasn't much better, but could focus on Ezra for a few seconds at a time.

Ezra turned around but Hera was gone.

"Sabine, where'd Hera go? Sabine!?"

There was no one else there, just him and Zeb. The archway was gone.

* * *

Sabine watched in horror as there was a sudden flicker and Hera vanished. Ezra turned and looked around.

"Sabine," she heard him call out, "where'd Hera go?"

"I don't' know!" she yelled back.

"Sabine!?"

He looked around, panicked now. He couldn't see her, couldn't hear her. She knew about force nexuses, how they could drive their user mad. She couldn't go in, lest she suffer the same fate. Kanan was still unconscious from when Ezra had hurled him into a wall, no doubt part of his tapping into the nexus' power. She needed Ezra to focus.

"SABINE!" He yelled again.

She got out a small dart, attached it to her pistol and aimed at the panicked figure, still unsure of whether she should do it or not. He made it easier by stopping moving and yelling at something she couldn't see, so he had gone mad.

Ezra felt a sudden stab in his arm and he was snapped back to reality. Whatever he'd seen had vanished.

"Thanks Sabine" he said as he plucked the dart from his arm.

"You're welcome. Now do you mind telling me where Hera went?"

"No clue. Just stay there and look after Kanan. I'll find her."

"But the nexus…"

"I've got the dart you shot me with. If I feel myself slipping I'll use it."

"How will you know?"

He gave her a strained, lopsided grin.

"I'll know when I see flying Stormtroopers."

"That's not funny."

Ezra turned and walked to the other side of the chamber. A third archway stood there, leading into darkness. It lacked the inscriptions that the other 2 had, just a plain cut stone archway, preserved by the force since the day it was made. He stepped out and was consumed by the darkness, leaving Sabine staring at a chamber empty except for Zeb lying on the floor.

Ezra made his way through the tunnels, crouching every so often to go through a small tunnel or something similar. There was no moss or lichen, as the nexus had kept the stones clear, but someone or something had savaged some of the stones, worn them down and scattered the pieces. A few cracked light stones were scattered around, some still attached to their broken pedestals. Up ahead there was the sound of distant, demonic laughter. He poked himself with the dart, but the laughter didn't go away. It echoed, reverberating off the walls and sending chills through his spine. But he continued walking. As he went, the stones changed from their normal immaculate shine to deeply scarred and broken bits. He was getting closer. He pricked himself once.

He stopped at the next turning. 2 things were there on the ground. The first was on old Trandoshan shotgun, a spent casing partially ejected. The second thing caused him to catch his breath, his heart seized in fear. A splatter of blood with a blue hue covered a rock.

Twi'leks have blue blood…

He slowly made his way forward and touched it with an outstretched arm. It was still fluid and somewhat warm, so it had to be recent.

He grabbed the shotgun and ejected the spent cartridge, letting a fresh one load.

"Those bastards will pay for what they did," he snarled to himself.

* * *

Back at the central chamber, Sabine was both bored and tense. She'd dragged Kanan from where he'd landed and made him somewhat comfortable, then watched Zeb practically tear his fur out fighting something she couldn't see. She was tempted to shoot him too to get him to focus, but decided against it; she had no more darts and he was moving to unpredictably for her to get a shot off that wouldn't harm him. So she sat and thought. Thought about Mandalore, about Ezra, about what little she knew about the force and how she should really get Kanan to teach her some things about it. She recalibrated her guns twice and spent some time considering what she could do to improve the look of the archway writing. It was pretty plain, a message about a force nexus and danger. Nothing of any real interest.

"Bleep!" said Chopper.

"Chopper!" she jumped up. "How are you talking to me if you're back at the surface? The rock should be too thick to transmit through."

Chopper beeped again and then sighed, waiting for what was coming.

"YOU LEFT THE GHOST!? Chopper, what if the Empire came and found the ghost?"

The Ghost had been parked under a rock outcrop near the surface, right at a cave entrance. It should be protected from Imperial surface scans, but Chopper was supposed to remain behind just in case.

"You set up communication lines too? What if the Empire come down? They'll have a path straight to the Ghost. Hera should've…"

She heard a shot. Not the high-pitched whine of a blaster, but a loud thump. A kinetic weapon, but she couldn't tell how far away it was, as the odd acoustics of the cave affected her sense of direction and distance. She hoped Ezra and Hera were all right.

Back in the tunnels, Ezra stood, smoking gun in hand, the barrel pointing up. The occupants of the cave looked at him. He'd found the cave set up by whoever these creatures were, the demented, twisted wrecks that surrounded him, these shells of people watched him stride up the middle of the cave towards a kind of alter in the centre of the room on a raised platform. The people here were those who'd gotten lost down in the caves, then driven mad by the nexus. There were easily over a hundred of them, but they backed away and let Ezra pass, sunken eyes following his every move. Up in front of the 'alter' Hera kneeled, occasionally flinching as something invisible passed by. A man stood by her, wild-eyed and snarling. Behind the alter another man stood, watching calmly, the shredded remains of a cape hanging from his shoulders. Ezra reached the alter and walked towards Hera, dart ready to stab her and get her to focus.

"She's coming with me," he announced, voice booming across the cave. Withered forms looked up at him in terror or hid from his sight.

He gently pulled Hera up and pulled her towards the stairs. The ragged man blocked them.

"You can't! She's my future wife!" he shouted, frothing at the mouth with rage.

Ezra racked another round into the gun and pointed it at him.

"I see you do your marriages quickly here. Tell me, do you do your funerals as fast?"

The man snarled but backed off. Hera let herself be led out of the cave, head bowed.

Her state shocked Ezra. She had a large, ragged cut on her right arm that looked to be inflicted by a shotgun shell, as well as multiple other cuts and bruises. What was worst though were here Lekku. They were both badly bruised and cut, obviously the centre of attention for the mad people who'd never seen a non-human species before. They were used for communication, dexterity, storage, deep memory, status-symbolism, sensory issues, and were rumoured to be erogenous. Ezra didn't want to know what she was going through, but once he thought they were far enough from the cave, he stopped her and pricked her with the dart.

"Ah!" she exclaimed as she suddenly snapped out of whatever trance the nexus had her in. "What happened? The last thing I remember is rappelling down to save you."

"It was a nice thought, but did Kanan forget to mention that force nexuses have been known to send people mad?" he replied uneasily. He wasn't sure the mad people would stay in their cave for too long. "You and Zeb kinda fell and were rolling around on the ground. It wasn't nice. I'm only here because Sabine shot me with a dart and the pain helped me focus."

"Was I really so mad that I damaged my Lekku? I feel like shit…"

He was momentarily taken aback; she'd never swore before, at least not in front of the crew.

"No that was something else. I'll explain later, we need to move, get back to the others. Use the dart to get yourself focused whenever you feel yourself slipping, OK?"

They both rose up and began running down the corridor. Voices began chasing them, some happy, some sad, all demented. Every now and then Ezra would fire back at the mass of bodies stumbling along behind them. For once, luck was on their side. There were no side passages that the people could flank them with and most were too weak to maintain a long chase down the corridor.

Back at the central chamber, Sabine had gotten ready to fight, after hearing several shots followed by crazy screaming and yelling. She watched as Ezra and Hera burst out of the passage, followed by a dark swarm of bodies. She shot at Zeb, who was lying on the floor, bringing him back to semi-alertness.

"What was that fo… oh" he started before seeing the blob of bodies chasing Ezra and Hera. They both began rappelling up, Sabine covering them. Zeb, being a Lasat, was able to climb fairly easily, claws sinking into the soft stone. Ezra and Hera caught a quick breath as they recovered from their run.

"How nice of you to join us," quipped Sabine. "Kanan's still out after you threw him into the wall."

"Great," He replied sarcastically. "We should really go now,"

"Oh really?" she shoots back as Zeb lifts up Kanan and unceremoniously deposits him over his shoulder.

They run again, the strongest and most demented climbing up and giving chase, the weaker ones remained, tethered to the nexus.

"Anything fun happen while we were gone?" Ezra inquires as they run.

"Not much. Zeb had a temper tantrum and then took a nap." She replied.

"Did not," grumbled Zeb from up front. "Mind telling us what happened down there?"

"I had to rescue Hera from some crazy man who was trying to marry her."

"Who what!?" The other 3 exclaim at the same time.

"I didn't remember that bit," said Hera

"Yeah, it didn't look fun. They had you on some big alter thing and there was this guy in robes who I guess is their leader."

Speaking of which, the leader and a small entourage appeared from a passage to the side, grinning demonically. Zeb steamrolled through the 2 who tried to block him and Sabine and Hera nimbly leaped over the fallen people. Something caught Ezra though. An invisible fist sent him flying into a wall and the leader, the one with the robe, jumped on him. He was connected to the force. Sabine and Hera stop and turn, blasters out.

"Get off me you…" Ezra growls before a bony hand grabs his neck and squeezes with unnatural strength, crushing his windpipe.

"Ezra, I can't get a shot!" yells Sabine as she tries to kill the guy holding Ezra. The 3 others in his entourage move to block their shot.

"You're still supposed to be my wife," snarls the wild-eyed man.

Hera released a heartfelt expletive which involved the guy going to have sex with himself, but in fewer words.

The man charged forward, right into a trio of blasts from Hera's pistol. The man slumped to the floor and the other 2 backed off; they were unarmed and would be cut down in seconds if they tried anything. The leader looks at them and Ezra used the opportunity to shove the man off him, upon which Sabine shot him once through the head.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it kid." She replied as she continued running.

They got to the surface, where Zeb was waiting with a still-unconscious Kanan. Sunlight streamed in from outside and the sand just outside was blindingly bright. In the distance, another beach could be seen, palm fronds swaying in a gentle breeze. Here and there, a motorboat drove along, garnished in civilian colours; holiday makers trying to take a break from the riots and Imperial oppression.

"What's the hold up?" Hera asked.

"I've got 2 AT-STs standing outside, with 10 Stormtroopers milling about outside." He replied, peaking outside.

"What are they like?"

"Pretty chilled. The crew are unloading cool boxes and the Stormtroopers have left their rifles with one of the walkers."

"Ahhh, what I wouldn't give to be on a beach with some beer right now. Ah well, let's get on with it. We could probably just run out to the Ghost. Chopper, raise the Ghost."

Chopper beeps and removes the ghost from its spot under the rock ledge, while the other rebels charge out onto the pristine sandy beach. It was almost like a scene from a holiday advert, with people relaxing on the beach with beers, except these people were Stormtroopers who'd just begun taking their armour off. They watched in astonishment as an infamous rebel craft burst from the sea, hanger door open, and a mixed assortment of rebels streamed towards it and jumped on. They watched it shoot off into the distance as soon as the rebels were on board. There was a deathly silence.

"Should we report their escape?" asked one after the long pause.

"Not if we want to keep coming here," replied another.

* * *

Almost done. I apologise if this isn't on-time, but I fell asleep while writing because I'd been up all the previous night and some of the night before doing various things.

Don't forget to tell me what you think about it. Feedback is always welcome.


	5. Chapter 5 - Anakin, Base Delta Zero

SWR - A Fallen Hero P5

* * *

The ghost rocketed up into the sky, a faint trail following in its wake. The ghost crew sat down in varying states of alertness. Kanan had only just woken up again, while Hera and Ezra were both exhausted from running and suffering the metal strain forced upon them by the nexus. Zeb had also suffered the mental barrage from the nexus, albeit without the running, and Sabine had too much energy, a result of high tension with inactivity followed by a brief burst of action and she stomped around the ship for a bit, searching for something to do while Ezra fiddled around trying to unlock the data drive that was concealed inside a storage case. Zeb was jokingly interrogating Ezra about what happened and Kanan was in the cockpit with Hera. Chopper was charging and recovering from the saltwater exposure he got when leaving the Ghost.

"So, kid, were there any big scary monsters that were frightening you?" he probed jokingly

"I should be asking YOU that question," he shoots back. "You were the one fighting with some invisible alien monster

"Then he kind of just gave up," smirked Sabine as she walked back in.

"Did not!" Zeb snorted, annoyed at his lack of remembrance of what happened but too proud to accept the idea

"Did too! You were fighting and then you just lay there and fell asleep."

"It must've been because I'd beaten it," Zeb replied, failing to be smug.

"Doubt it," Ezra muttered as he focused on dismantling the data drive. "You couldn't beat Kanan in a game of chess, let alone anything else."

Zeb was about shove Ezra, then remembered that he was doing delicate work. He instead said. "What did the nexus show you then? Did it threaten to tell everyone how much you want to bed Sabine?"

Zeb roared with laughter while Ezra's face turned crimson in embarrassment. Sabine held back a laugh herself; it was always a bit funny to tease him about how much he liked her, but she knew that Zeb was going a bit too far and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"But kid, what really happened?"

"Do I have to talk about it?"

"Yes" the others said simultaneously.

For some curious reason, only Ezra remembered what he'd been hallucinating when directly exposed to the Force Nexus's power, and they assumed it was probably due to his connection with the force. It still prodded him occasionally, not often, but enough to remind him it had latched onto him and refused to let go. He had yet to tell the others about it.

"It was quite weird. It showed me things that I could have and do if I opened my force connection to it. Things like crashing Star Destroyers, killing people with a wave of my hand, have enough power to be unchallengeable."

"Sounds fun," said Zeb.

"Yes, but Force Nexuses have been known to corrupt people who use them, or send them mad. I knew this and so was able to eventually force it out. And it showed me something that didn't really appeal to me, so I said no."

"Aren't Nexuses supposed to be super powerful?"

"Only when channeled through a being who can use the force. The stronger their connection, the more force power they can call up from the nexus."

"What did it show you that you didn't like?" asked Sabine.

"An image of what I could do with all of the power. It showed all of you bowing down before me, basically as my servants, slaves even. I didn't want that."

"Did that not appeal to you in any way?" joked Zeb. "Not even having Sabine be yours?"

"No, actually. I don't want that," Ezra replied, dead serious.

"I was kidding, don't get so wound up about it."

"It's not funny."

"Ezra, how close are you to opening the casing around the drive?" inquired Sabine, diverting their attention to something else before they had an argument.

"Almost there. Give me a few more seconds…"

Up in the cockpit, Hera and Kanan were rudely awakened from their small, blissful moment together staring at the stars that they raced towards by a cry of success as Ezra opened the data drive. They went into the back to see a triumphant Ezra pulling up a holopad with the acquired data on.

"I managed to break open the outer casing and I've got the unguarded data here," he smiled. Hera smiled back, albeit painfully; despite the pain relief and constant care the crew provided her since they escaped, she still felt quite uncomfortable with the damage she'd suffered before.

"What are we looking at Ezra?" Kanan questioned.

"Birthplace, name, suit properties, everything!" Ezra crowed.

"Try not to feel too arrogant about it kid, I could've probably got it in half the time with hacking," Sabine said as she budged up next to him to let Hera sit.

"Let's see. Birthplace: Tatooine? No known father either?"

"I guess his mother was one of THOSE people," Sabine said jokingly.

"Sabine!" Hera scolded. "Don't say that. As much as we want to degrade our enemies, we can't go around calling their parents prostitutes."

"His mother was a slave actually. She was sold from her original owner to some moisture farmers and was then captured by Tusken Raiders. She died in his arms after he came to rescue her. And his wife died of heartbreak during order 66."

"That's… unfortunate," said Kanan.

"Don't feel too sorry. He massacred the village of Tusken raiders and almost force-choked his wife to death after he believed she had betrayed him. After that he fought against Obi Wan Kenobi and lost his robotic arm and both legs. He was left for dead on Mustafar, burning to death, but was recovered by The Emperor and placed into his suit, which doubles as his life-support."

"So we can shut it down? The suit?"

"No such luck. If what I'm reading from the data is correct, and this is just the basics, his suits have so many redundancies and backups it puts a Star Destroyer to shame. The Empire invested a fortune into making it."

"Tell us something else. We don't need to hear about how indestructible he is right now.

"Umm, he was called Anakin Skywalker"

"We know that already," complained Zeb. "Don't tell us about the stuff we already know. What about his exploits? The early ones."

"He won a major podrace event when he was a child with a craft he built himself and later flew into a Trade Federation control ship and blew it up inside out during the Battle of Naboo. This was when he was 9 or so."

He looked at the others, who were in varying states of disbelief.

"What language are you speaking kid?" asked Zeb. "It sounds like bull…"

"Zeb!" Hera scolded again. "Language!"

"You didn't seem to mind too much in the tunnel," smiled Ezra

"Watch it you," she said, jokingly but slightly serious.

"He was a padawan of Obi Wan Kenobi and led the 501st clone legion on missions throughout the galaxy during the clone wars. And still does now. He fought on Umbara, Felucia, Geonosis, the lot."

"All miserable places," commented Kanan. "Ask Rex about them when we next see him."

"The file's got all of his battle records." Ezra paused and looked at Kanan. "Including the assault on the Jedi Temple."

"Let's hear it."

"He led the 501st attack on the Temple. Killed many Jedi himself… including a room full of pre-padawan children. Total kill count… over 70 Jedi only, most by his hand."

Kanan's face could've been etched from stone it was so emotionless. He was obviously hiding his pain and Hera put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"He also went on to kill quite a few Jedi personally after that. There was an incident on Kashyyk when he killed the Jedi in hiding there, last name Merek. His son Galen Marek vanished after the incident. He also fought 8 Jedi on Kessel himself. 3 Masters, 4 Knights and a padawan. He killed them all. Bultar Swan, Master Choi…"

"How did he kill them?"

"Are you sure you want to know dear?" asked Hera, concerned.

"I need to know," he replied forcefully

"Umm… Impalement and dismemberment, crushing a neck, disabling several lightsabers just before a squad of Clone Stormtroopers arrived under the command of one Sargent Appo from the 501st. He took a weapon of theirs and when his robot arm was cut off, he used the force to throw it and the weapon it was holding into another one of the Jedi. Bultar Swan was the only Jedi not killed by the Empire. She was betrayed by Master Choi for not wanting to kill a disarmed Vader. Recently he has killed 373 people alone, 3 of them Jedi. Recently as in since the start of the year, 4 months ago."

"Ok." Kanan's voice was hoarse.

"Here's something interesting. He enacted order 37 on Garacor 5 weeks ago to draw out a Jedi."

"Order 37?" asked Zeb.

"Order 37 is an order given to draw out a fugitive by capturing civilians and killing them if the fugitive didn't come out," said Sabine angrily. "Something we were taught in the academy."

"He used it and not one, but 3 Jedi knights came out to fight him. Not long before this Imperial probes had discovered a neutral force nexus in the caves down below, the ones we were in. Their fight ended up taking them to the spot over the nexus, which is apparently just on the shoreline. One of the Jedi sacrificed himself to save another, and his selfless act apparently added a light-side to the nexus. The 2 remaining Jedi were consumed with rage and turned to the dark side. Of course, they were both defeated and their mixture of light and dark was added to the nexus, which was enhanced by how brutal Vader was in killing them."

"How?"

"He tore the head off one and partially dismembered the other."

"Goddamn." Cursed Zeb after a long silence. "Anything else we should know?"

"There are quite a few suit statistics and the likes which I'm sure Sabine would love to pour over. Aside from that there are many more battle reports, another use of Order 37 and a mention of something called Base Delta Zero."

Sabine stiffened beside him.

"Sabine? What is it?" asked Hera.

"Nothing," she replied as she got up to leave.

"Sabine, it's obviously not nothing."

"You look like you're about to cry," said Ezra.

Sabine sat down and leaned forward onto the table. She really did look upset by what she just heard.

"Before I tell you anything, what planet was it on?"

"It's called Farsen. Large temperate world, mostly forested, with a population of 9 Billion." He replied after checking the data.

"Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" asked Zeb. "It's still there, isn't it? Even the Empire doesn't have the power to destroy planets."

"Oh, the planet's still there. Base Delta Zero is a command ordering all ships capable of orbital bombardment to destroy the surface of the planet. Not a single being is to be left alive, the surface is to be turned into a barren wasteland. The planet is still there, but there are no longer any people on that planet, or even any organic life. They're all dead. All 9 Billion of the sentients and however many other organics there were. Gone."

They gasp at her in shock.

"Something we had to learn about at the academy, although they made sure it was only briefly skimmed upon so that they didn't scare the candidates out of finishing their training."

Zeb looked down at his feet, thinking about his own people. What had happened to them seemed like a minor irritant compared to the Farsens. Ezra leaned back and ran a hand through his hair, unable to believe what he'd just heard. Hera had rested her forehead against the table, just as unable to process the information as Ezra. Kanan stood as still as a statue.

"So that's Base Delta Zero," Sabine said unhappily. She grabbed the datapad and looks at the information. "9 Billion people and a planet's surface gone in under than a day. 3 days ago, the last sentient was confirmed as dead, the last organic life mere minutes after that. This happened a few days ago. Not a single imperial was killed and he threatened to do that to any of the nearby planets that spoke about it."

The crew slowly began to go their separate ways. Hera left first, heading back to the cockpit to calculate their hyperspace jump, looking like she was about to cry too. Sabine slowly walked back to her room, shortly followed by Zeb heading to his own room. Kanan left last, full of anger, hate and sadness. Ezra stayed, watching the dust motes on the ship fly around and thinking about the 9 Billion dead on Farsen until he falls asleep.

The next morning the crew were still dejected as they go about their daily business. No one turned on the morning lights and so they had to rely on the light reflected off one of the moons nearby. Sabine woke unusually early, grabbed a quick cup of caf, and headed back to her room. Kanan didn't leave his room until quite late, again unusual, and ignored breakfast entirely to check on Hera, who'd fallen asleep in the pilot's seat. Zeb didn't leave his room at all and Ezra just lay on the sofa, staring at the dust as it meandered its way around through the beam of light that entered through the top gun port and settled on the games table. No one seemed to be able to work up any energy to do anything.

"Guys, I need you in the cockpit," a suddenly nervous Hera said.

They made their way to the bridge a bit more rapidly than how they'd been moving around like for the previous half of the day. 7 Star Destroyers sat ahead of them, surrounded by smaller support ships.

"Guess we really pissed him off," sighed Hera. Her hands were off the controls but the Ghost was moving towards the fleet at a rapid pace.

"Let me guess, he's doing this," snarled Sabine.

"Actually, this is a tractor beam. He's probably waiting for us inside his Star Destroyer."

The thought reawakened the crew from their lethargic disbelief as they all thought of getting revenge against Vader. They were all suited up and ready to go long before they reached The Devastator. They waited patiently as they were pulled inside the hanger and the Ghost settled onto the deck of the central hanger with a thump. The data drive lay on the deck behind them, forgotten. The door hissed open and the rebels charged out, weapons drawn. Then they stopped.

* * *

In front of them, over 200 501ST Stormtroopers stood ready for combat, AT-STs watching like hawks from behind. An AT-AT stood behind them, aiming at the Ghost. Several TIE/LN fighters hovered, an ability the rebels didn't know they could do. At the head of this small army was Vader, flanked by the 8th Brother and 4th Sister, 2 more inquisitors they'd met before.

"Well… Crap." Swore Zeb.

"You have something that doesn't belong to you. Hand it over and I will spare you a painful death," Vader's voice boomed out in the hanger.

"Come and get it!" Zeb yelled back.

"If you insist…"

Vader's hand lifted up and the rebels were flung backwards into the side of the Ghost.

"I warned you once. Give it to me, or I'll have my men dismantle your ship… and you."

"Fat chance laserbrain," snarled Sabine. "Oh, sorry, I meant Anakin Skywalker, son of Shimi Skywalker."

Vader paused.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER! You killed 9 Billion people because they didn't give you the answer you wanted! You killed your own wife!"

Vader watched. To the casual eye, he was unmoved, but his hand was tightening around his lightsaber hilt.

"Poor little orphan Annie! Too late to save his whore mother from some simple savages!"

Vader force-choked Sabine and sent her flying THROUGH the shatter-proof glass of the Phantom. His breathing was unchanged, outwardly he appeared unconcerned, but Ezra and Kanan could feel the anger and the hate exuding off him, swamping them. It was like drowning again, only this time it was blocking their connection with the force. The 2 inquisitors stepped back, suddenly afraid of Vader's wrath and all the Stormtroopers exchanged nervous looks.

"You will regret that mistake for what little remains of your life," Vader practically spat as he stormed up to the Ghost.

Kanan stood, lightsaber drawn, but Vader tossed him aside like a scrap of paper using the force. Hera and Zeb both began firing, but Vader pulled the guns out of their hands and then sent the pair flying into the Ghost. Ezra was the only one left, Lightsaber drawn, standing in front of the loading ramp uncertainly.

"Move child, or you will be moved." Vader commanded.

"I know what it's like to lose family. We all have. You can't take away from people what you don't have yourself."

"You know nothing. This is your last chance. Step aside, or I will take your friends to the torture room to have them dissected alive and conscious after watching you suffer the same fate."

"I'm not afraid."

"You are child. You are very afraid. Try not to drown in it."

Ezra's mental block on the Nexus slipped a little when it next poked him, just a bit, but enough so that when Vader tried to Force-choke Ezra, he couldn't. Ezra was able to resist Vader's force abilities.

"You have connected to the Nexus," Vader breathed. "The one on Garacor."

"Maybe," Ezra replied as he extended his hand out experimentally to try lift Kanan. To his surprise, he could lift all 3 of his friends and their weapons, and deposit them in the loading bay. Vader had spotted the data drive and pulled it from where it lay, much faster than Ezra with his friends.

"No matter. You still cannot hope to defeat me in combat." Vader drew his Lightsaber.

A burst of fire suddenly spewed out from the Ghost.

Chopper had woken not long after the others left and watched the confrontation in great apprehension. Why his friends had chosen to fight Vader head-on he didn't know, but he wanted to help, so he got the autopilot ready to move on his command, then heading up and dragging Sabine out of the Phantom and into the Ghost after she'd been thrown into the smaller craft. He manned the top gun and pointed it at the AT-AT, waiting for his opportunity. It came when Vader had drawn his lightsaber, so he shot at the AT-AT until the left leg collapsed at the knee joint causing it to topple onto an AT-ST and a Stormtrooper squad. He killed a couple of TIEs before Ezra called up to him.

"Let's go!"

Chopper activated the autopilot and informed Ezra that he'd retrieved Sabine from the Phantom. The Ghost executed a wild roll down and out of the ventral hanger, then a rapid jump to Hyperspace took them out to the next system, less than 1/4 a parsec away.

Ezra slumped to the deck, exhausted. Using the explosions as a distraction, he'd force-pushed Vader away and jumped onto the Ghost, shutting the ramp behind him. Chopper assured him that they were already plotting another jump to lose the Empire. He also said that Ezra had been very sloppy in dismantling the outer casing of the data drive and had left the tracker intact, getting an annoyed groan in response. It was some time before anyone woke up, but surprisingly it was Sabine who woke up first, undoubtedly protected by her armour.

"What'd I miss? Any trips through a trash compactor or giant washing machine while we were out? I feel terrible," she asked.

"Not much. Vader kind of knocked the others out and the only reason he didn't choke me to death was because I accidently let my guard slip and connected to the Nexus enough that I could resist his power. Chopper was the one who saved us though. He blew up the AT-AT and provided enough of a distraction to let me force-push Vader away and jump on with you guys," he replied.

"Sounds fun. I must remember not to take it too far when taunting baddies from now on, I guess."

"You think?" said Zeb, who'd woken up with Hera while the teens were talking. "That was pretty stupid of you. He could've just crushed your windpipe instead, and then Ezra wouldn't have anyone to flirt with. He'd have to compete with Kanan for Hera's attention then."

They smiled, the tension partially alleviated. Kanan and Hera woke up properly and delivered the information to Commander Sato as soon as they reached the fleet, careful to eject the casing with the tracker in a random quadrant on the way. Upon seeing their state, he immediately ordered them to take a week of for recovery, which was happily accepted all-round by the Ghost Crew. A vote was passed and they went to an uncolonized island planet. They landed on one of the desert islands and managed to relax properly for the first time in a few months.

* * *

1 Week Later

"Where are we going to hit now?" inquired Sabine as they sat around a holomap.

"You and Ezra are going to an Imperial base on Draxxus V to steal a lightsaber," replied Hera. "It belonged to the Sith Lord Darth Revan and the Imperials found it at the temple where he is buried, apparently still functional."

"His Sith lightsaber or his Jedi one?" asked Ezra.

"The Sith one." Hera saw Zeb's confused expression; he didn't know about the Old Republic. "Darth Revan was a Jedi who became a Sith Master. Stealing it from under their noses will be a big blow to the Inquisitors and the Sith in general."

"Nice," he grinned back. "That'd be fun, leaving them without an evil lightsaber to worship."

"Remember Zeb, a weapon is only as good as the person who wields it," said Kanan.

"When did you get all philosophical?"

"Since now. Anyway, let's get going on this mission. I can't wait to grab the lightsaber from their 'top secret' research station."

The crew gathered round and began studying the holomap, ready for their next encounter with whatever came at them.

* * *

Notes:

Expanded Universe stuff, Base Delta Zero and Vader's apprentice Starkiller in The Force Unleashed series. Hope you enjoyed!  
Life kind of got in the way of publishing this (and is continuing to be an annoyance) but I'll try to upload them fairly regularly, with maybe 2 chapters on Sundays, definately if I miss a post during the week.

I also apologise for the origional post being messed up. It is fixed now.

 _This is only the prequel! (now everyone is going to hate it because I made them think about the prequel trilogy). The main story is going to be uploaded soon and will be both a lot longer and (i hope) better in quality because, let's face it, I'm not that much of a writer._

 _here is the story information (name and number, because of the site rules...)_

 _/12319117/1/Star-Wars-Rebels-Breakdown_

 _Still, I hope you enjoyed this mini-series and will stick around for the main one, because it has (in my opinion) better battles, better relationships (I'm not planning on shipping anyone in the main series, unless I'm told otherwise by you readers) and a better story line, with a bit of betrayal, personal and inter-personal problems galore and lots of dead Stormtroopers. I've yet to tally it up, but it its definitely over 300 so far. And I've only written parts 1 and 2 so far. (but probably won't get over 9000 I'm afraid to say.)_


	6. Update

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION INCOMING:

The story you just read is part of a series of 3, which are being linked to below. Read in order to make sure you can enjoy the story as a whole (please note that fanfiction is dumb as F*** so I can't put the full links in, just the number and name section.):

1) A Fallen Hero: s/12310211/1/Star-Wars-Rebels-Fallen-Hero

2) Breakdown: s/12319117/1/Star-Wars-Rebels-Breakdown

3) Shattering: s/12333387/1/Star-Wars-Rebels-Shattering

Please let me know what you think or favorite if you enjoyed. It does mean a lot and encourages me to make more.


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